Arsenal rue Olivier Giroud's miss in goalless opener with Sunderland

Olivier Giroud felt his heart race as time appeared to slow. In the words of Arsenal's £13m striker, "the dream start" beckoned. Eighteen minutes into his debut for the club as a substitute, he found himself clean through, thanks to Santi Cazorla's clever pass. He simply needed to steer his right-foot shot into the corner.

If he scores, Arsenal win, he is the hero and the healing process over Robin van Persie's departure to Manchester United begins. Instead, Giroud's shot kept on travelling past the post. Arsène Wenger, the manager, threw up his hands and slumped into his seat. Everybody in the stadium suspected that Van Persie would have found the net. "It just didn't smile for us today," Giroud said.

Wenger always takes defeat badly, and this result felt like a defeat, despite the worthiness of Sunderland's defensive effort and the pair of decent early chances that they created for James McClean and Jack Colback.

Yet it was startling to see how weary Wenger looked afterwards, as was the sense of resignation in his words and body language. He confirmed that Alex Song was bound for Barcelona in a £15m deal which, as things stand, means he has turned a profit on his summer transfer spend.

With Van Persie and Song absent and Lukas Podolski, Cazorla and Giroud wearing the red shirt for the first time, there was a sense that another cycle has started. After overseeing so many of them, Wenger could have been forgiven for feeling the grind.

It felt appropriate to ask him whether he still had the enthusiasm for it all. "I believe that part of our club is to influence people's lives in a positive way," he replied. "You would prefer to influence it in a positive way for yourself but it does not always happen."

Van Persie's departure has hit him hard and Martin O'Neill, the Sunderland manager, said that the situation was "as bad as it gets". Song's case is more curious. The midfielder's desire to explore his options led to friction with the club while his consideration of his worth to the team, in technical and financial terms, differed to that of Wenger.

Arsenal had Song under contract to 2015 but their readiness to accept Barcelona's offer spoke volumes. It is easy to detect a feeling at the club of good riddance. Wenger is expected to push ahead with his move for Real Madrid's Nuri Sahin, although he said that he has sufficient existing options to cope.

Song, though, is the latest in a line of players to have developed impressively at Arsenal, only to leave. "We make the players here," Wenger said. "All that have left were made here or made a name here or came here very young. Fábregas, Clichy, Adebayor, Henry, Nasri, all of them. Song came at 17. He had a lot to do when he arrived but he did it."

Wenger's challenge is to get the best out of his new signings. He said that he sees Podolski as his centre-forward, which raises the question of whether Giroud, a true No9, can expect to start regularly. Podolski, who was disappointing on Saturday, did play as the centre-forward for Cologne last season, but he has tended to play off the left for Germany.

"That's where I see him [as the centre-forward]," Wenger said. "But he has some work to do to change his game … to make runs in behind, protect the ball and move around the box. When you come from a wide position, it's not easy straight away to find all that."

It was put to Wenger that Arsenal might have to play differently with Podolski as opposed to Van Persie. "Maybe," he said. "I have to study the game and see what he did when we had the ball. At the moment, we cannot say it worked."

O'Neill could be relieved at Giroud's miss but delighted at Sunderland's collective resilience. His thoughts, though, were also coloured by transfer-market business. He is desperate for reinforcements, particularly up front. "What we lack is some quality in major positions and I actually think the quantity, too."

Man of the match: Lee Cattermole (Sunderland)

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 19 Aug 12

Steely Sunderland highlight Arsenal's striking problems

At the conclusion of an active summer, Arsenal were left hot and bothered. Despite the presence of three new players around which Arsène Wenger intends to build his attack, Arsenal sweated and stuttered and found no way through Martin O'Neill's resilient Sunderland.

It felt like a chef had thrown together a bunch of ingredients but could not pull together a mouthwatering meal in a hurry. It was bland at times, as Arsenal lacked cohesion, communication and natural combinations. Perhaps it was not altogether surprising that they played a little like strangers. Compared to the final game from last season, Arsenal had seven different names in the starting XI.

Wenger acknowledged there was an inevitable, awkward question that will trail around them in performances when they falter in front of goal. If Robin van Persie were there would they have won? "Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. We can never check that. But it's true last year in every game he found something special. I never deny we lost a world class player and it is very difficult to replace him." Alex Song has also gone, with terms agreed with Barcelona for the Cameroonian's transfer.

O'Neill anticipated there might be a special nuance in the atmosphere hot on the heels Van Persie's move. But the most helpful thing from a Sunderland point of view was that Arsenal simply could not click. After two chances in 11 minutes – James McClean's snap shot and a well worked move that fell to the excellent Jack Colback – they resorted to a rearguard action. New arrival Carlos Cuéllar played his part and slotted expertly into the back four.

Arsenal's game revolved around Santi Cazorla. Fresh – if he'll pardon the expression – from a midweek long haul to Puerto Rico, he immediately showed he has the quality to pull strings at will. He found space easily, and with his polished touch and seemingly equal control with either foot, was able to spray passes, launch set pieces, and he even did not mind pressing to win the ball. First impressions suggest Arsenal might have landed themselves a gem. "It is difficult not to be pleased with him," said Wenger. "Basically he created all the chances."

But for him to be a successful creative hub, he needs greater understanding with his new team-mates, who were not quite on his wavelength.Arsenal did not make the best of Cazorla's invention. In the sixth minute he ambled forward and let rip. Simon Mignolet thrust up a strong hand to push the Spaniard's effort over the bar. Shortly after, Gervinho carved Sunderland open and Cazorla nipped in ahead of Lukas Podolski but steered his shot narrowly wide.

It was not quite happening for the Germany international. He was tantalisingly close but frustratingly far from clean connection on more than one occasion. Three minutes before half-time, the lead went begging as Mikel Arteta, Cazorla and Theo Walcott combined to set up Podolski, but the determined mass blocking of three Sunderland players smothered the danger. He gave way to Olivier Giroud, who scooped his first chance over the bar, then shanked wide when he was teed up by Cazorla. His physical presence augered well but his sharpness was not yet there.

O'Neill was relieved to see Sunderland hold out when they began to feel the effects of fatigue in the burning sunshine. Further forward they, too, were missing sharpness. "Stéphane Sessègnon had two days training and Louis Saha has not had anything all summer," noted O'Neill. "I thought coming here would be particularly difficult. We had a disappointing pre-season and we were very tired indeed, but that game will bring us on immensely." He also added that new recruits are expected before the close of the transfer window.

Wenger assessed that his new strikers were not entirely geared up to plunge into Premier League football. "Podolski is not ready yet," he admitted. "Physically he lacks that change of pace. Giroud had a great chance and we expected him to score." Wenger did not beat about the bush in concluding that the result was a "greatly missed opportunity."

Emerging from the shadow of Van Persie's departure might take time. It seems there is no quick fix.

Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 18 Aug 12

How much longer can Arsène Wenger be offered the benefit of the doubt?

The Arsenal manager is providing the evidence that even the greatest can lose their way, inexplicably and irretrievably

Arsène Wenger's achievements are so monumental it is not an easy thing to find ourselves at the point when we have to acknowledge, however reluctantly, he is straying dangerously close to fully fledged fantasy if he seriously believes restoring true greatness to Arsenal is going to be anything but a dauntingly long-term project.

The evidence was overwhelming even before their ordeal at the Stadio Guiseppe Meazza and the latest directionless effort at Sunderland that, once again, takes them out of trophy contention and makes it felt even more absurd that Wenger had begun the week expressing his belief that they had realistic aspirations of outdoing Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and all the rest to win the Champions League.

Nobody had taken it particularly seriously because, put bluntly, we assumed a man of this calibre was surely more in touch with reality and, if not, what happened at San Siro ("not a football match but a massacre," as La Repubblica put it) made the point with the force of a sledgehammer.

After that, if Wenger's judgment is skewed enough to believe it was simply one bad night, rather than the cumulative effects of a decline that has gone on longer than most Arsenal fans would care to remember, then maybe what we are looking at here is compelling evidence that even the greatest football men can lose their way, inexplicably and irretrievably.

This is not said lightly in an age when football's blame culture and unending demand for scapegoats can be incredibly wearing and Wenger has already revolutionised Arsenal to the point that, even now, it feels almost sacrilege to question his suitability for what needs to happen next. Yet how much longer can we offer the benefit of the doubt when it is so plainly obvious that much of the old magic is no longer there? The decline is year on year and when the man in charge appears to believe it needs only some fine-tuning it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain a legitimate defence.

Already this season we have seen open mutiny at the Emirates Stadium and the most voluble abuse Wenger has ever encountered from his own crowd. This frustration has been building since they won their last trophy seven years ago, and who can say it will get any better soon when they will surely lose their outstanding player, Robin van Persie, at the end of the season?

Wenger has already seen most of his better players picked off by predators. Inferior replacements have been brought in and you know things are bad when Sir Alex Ferguson starts referring to him with the kind of 19th-hole chumminess that could make you think they were Rotary Club buddies rather than embittered adversaries of old. Ferguson and Wenger could once have fallen out over a game of Pooh Sticks but, seriously, why would anyone at Manchester United be overly concerned now about the manager of such an ordinary team, 17 points off Manchester City at the top of the league?

The truth is Arsenal are in fourth position despite recording only one league victory of real substance all season. That was the 5-3 at Chelsea in October, when they came across a side enduring their own slump. Otherwise they have lost every single time against the other four other clubs with aspirations of challenging for the top positions. A good barometer of a team's competitive spirit can usually be found in their away form and Arsenal, on their travels, have conceded more goals than every other team bar two of the sides in the bottom four, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic. In truth, fourth place flatters Arsenal.

What we have now is a team regarded as such a soft touch that, before a ball had even been kicked at San Siro, the former Milan coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Arrigo Sacchi, with four Europeans Cups between them, could casually dismiss Wenger's men in a click of the fingers, and nobody saw it as the slightest bit impudent. Dennis Bergkamp, Martin Keown and Patrick Vieira have all weighed in from the Invincibles era. These are serial winners, as perplexed as the rest of us. Roy Keane, an old foe now on television duty, was still shaking his head as he boarded his flight from Malpensa airport on Thursday. This team, he said, were going nowhere fast. "The worst Arsenal side in 10 years," Sacchi volunteered.

This is why nobody can really blame Van Persie if, at 28, he wants to join a team that represent more than the elegant frustration Arsenal have become. This could be the first season under Wenger that they fail to qualify for the Champions League and will almost certainly be the only time in his tenure they finish below Spurs, currently 10 points better off. The deterioration has been nothing short of staggering and you have to wonder whether Wenger, already planning for next season, is in danger of joining the list of football greats who stayed too long.

Source: Daniel Taylor, The Guardian on 18 Feb 12

Sunderland's Kieran Richardson puts seal on Arsenal's week of misery

It seemed somehow appropriate that Jimmy Montgomery's first day as Sunderland's special ambassador should end in a spot of FA Cup glory. It is 39 years since his double reflex save at Wembley ensured that Ian Porterfield's goal was sufficient to beat Leeds United and bring the trophy back to Wearside but, inspired by Martin O'Neill's dynamic management, Montgomery's old club have silverware in their sights once more.

Barring a Champions League miracle it looks as if Arsenal will not be winning anything again this season. Indeed it was perhaps not purely because of the plummeting February temperature that, at the end, Arsène Wenger partially covered his face with the protective, zipped-up collar of his managerial duvet coat.

As if listening to cheeky chants of "You're getting sacked in the morning" from jubilant Sunderland fans was not bad enough, Arsenal's manager had to endure the experience of seeing his disappointingly flat side deservedly lose to a team who, until O'Neill's transformative arrival, were dallying with relegation.

If O'Neill's central defensive partnership of John O'Shea and Michael Turner did an outstanding job of keeping Robin van Persie and company quiet, a counter-attacking Sunderland also impressed in possession.

Lee Cattermole proved arguably the evening's key figure in a holding central midfield role which took considerable pressure off his defence while James McClean's left-wing forays worried Arsenal.

A chill wind whipping off the river Wear proved so capricious that ball control assumed a whole new meaning. With the heavy pitch beginning to cut up the conditions were hardly ideal for a fast-tiring Arsenal side badly in need of restoring some morale-boosting fluency to their play following last Wedenesday's Champions League ignominy in Milan.

When Francis Coquelin, drafted in at left-back for the day, swiftly hobbled off with a hamstring injury it seemed that fortune was continuing to frown on Wenger's currently accident-prone defence.

With Sébastien Squillaci joining Johan Djourou in central defence, Thomas Vermaelen relocated to his less preferred left-back role where he frequently looked uneasy in the face of Sebastian Larsson, Sunderland's former Arsenal right-winger.

Across on the left, McClean regularly had the beating of Bacary Sagna and the young Irishman's runs and crosses at times provoked consternation among the visiting backline.

Although Stéphane Sessègnon was nominally deployed as Sunderland's lone striker Craig Gardner made frequent, defender-confounding late dashes into the penalty area from the heart of O'Neill's midfield quintet. With Cattermole, recovered from a hamstring strain, in such authoritative form Gardner was free to serve at times as a secondary counterattacking striker.

It was Djourou's foul on Gardner that precipitated the free-kick from which Sunderland took the lead. Larsson swung the ball in and Vermaelen's attempt at a headed clearance fell at the feet of Kieran Richardson.

O'Neill's left-back was unattended in acres of space but, even so, his handsome left-foot shot appeared poised to fly fractionally wide until it was deflected off Squillaci and into the bottom corner.

Wenger slumped deep into his padded seat in the away dugout. The row of stony-faced backroom staff lined up alongside a manager by now huddling into the protective folds of his coat as if it were a comfort blanket reflected an increasingly downbeat north London mood.

Visiting demeanours were hardly enhanced when Howard Webb refused Van Persie a penalty in the wake of a perceived foul from O'Shea after the Dutchman had collected Alex Song's clever reverse pass. Webb, though, adjudged that O'Shea had got the ball before bringing down Van Persie.

Earlier Gardner's challenge on Van Persie had earned a free-kick just outside the area, floated wide by Mikel Arteta, but Simon Mignolet's sole key save of the match involved him brilliantly tipping a shot from Gervinho, newly returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, to safety.

As the second half unravelled and the clock ticked remorselessly down, Wenger was forced into a double substitution. Squillaci, clutching a groin, and a limping Aaron Ramsey trudged off, heads bowed, and were replaced by Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott.

Some of Van Persie's off-the-ball attacking movement was superb but the service he received proved less so and during an odd pause in play the striker's body language suggested he was a little fed up.

It was time for some of the much-vaunted leadership hitherto conspicuous by its absence and Van Persie duly decided to try galvanising his colleagues. When Arteta indicated he would be taking a free-kick, Arsenal's captain overruled him taking the set play himself and, in a cameo emblematic of Wenger's woes, saw it deflected wide.

Luck similarly deserted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when, attempting to help out defensively, he merely succeeded in inadvertently nudging the ball into his own net.

Sunderland's second goal began with Arteta's slip which permitted Sessèngon to race almost halfway down the pitch before slipping a pass to Larsson. Although the Swede's shot rebounded off a post, the back-tracking Oxlade-Chamberlain proved powerless to prevent the ball entering the net.

It proved the cue for the finally confident home supporters to break into one of their favourite ditties. "Are you watching," they sang. "Are you watching Newcastle?"

Source: Louise Taylor, The Guardian on 18 Feb 12

Wenger's reaction to the Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal match

on the team’s display…
We put in a committed performance and gave absolutely everything that was left in our legs. It was a very difficult game. We had a very unfortunate schedule because we played away in the Champions League then straight away [we played] away again on some very difficult pitches.

We fought hard today. I felt we were a bit unlucky because there was a 100 per cent penalty for us that Mr Webb missed and then the first shot [for Sunderland] was a goal.

Then we had to chase the game and take every gamble and we were caught on the counter for the second goal. We had a lot of possession but didn’t create a lot, which was down to fantastic defending from Sunderland.

on dealing with criticism…
We have to take the critics on board, stay together and face them. There is only one response in our job; stay united, fight and focus on the next game.

on ending the season without silverware…
It is too early to say where it leaves us and what we will do. Let’s focus on the next game in the championship and fight, even if there is a small possibility [of progressing], in the Champions League. We have a big game next Saturday, we lost three players today and we are starting to get very short.

on the next steps…
At the moment it is best to let people talk, criticise, analyse and destroy and on our side it is important to show internal strength and resilience and come out with a strong performance in our next game.

on injuries…
Squillaci was injured. Coquelin is injured. Ramsey is injured.

Source: Arsenal.com on 18 Feb 12

18 February 2012: Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal, Stadium of Light

Arsenal are out of the FA Cup.

Arsène Wenger's side went down 2-0 at Sunderland thanks to Kieran Richardson's cross-shot just before the break and an own goal from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 13 minutes from full-time.

There were elements ill-fortune over both. The first found the corner thanks to deflection and the second was stumbled over the line by the backtracking Arsenal midfielder. But few could deny that Sunderland were still worthy winners on the day.

The visitors played a full part in a full-bloodied cup tie but they could not summon a victory to banish the memory of that midweek defeat in Milan.

Barring an incredible fightback in the second leg on March 6, Arsenal's season is now all about the Premier League.

Wenger had promised to freshen up his side after the defeat in Italy. In the end, he made five changes - some enforced, some not.

Lukasz Fabianski, Francis Coquelin, Johan Djourou, Gervinho and Oxlade-Chamberlain all came in Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs, Laurent Koscielny, Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky.

It has been an arduous week already and the Arsenal manager clearly thought his side needed an injection of energy.

Sunderland's crowd was significantly down on the previous week's Premier League game but the visiting contingent was virtually the same. The Arsenal supporters had taken advantage of £5 coach trips laid on by the Club.

As they have all season, Wenger's team travelled with a healthly vocal backing.

And their team gave them something to shout about it in opening stages.

Until Coquelin hobbled off, the visitors were vibrant. However the nearest they came to goal was when Arteta whipped a free-kick just wide.

But in the seventh minute, Arsenal lost a defender for the third successive game. Coquelin pulled up close to the same spot on which Per Mertesacker had crumpled into a heap a week earlier. The Frenchman's game was over and Sebastien Squillaci came on for his first game since Fulham on January 2.

The change sucked the early impetus out of Arsenal and Sunderland started to pressurise. Stephane Sessignon went through and curled an effort just wide of the far post then Fabianski did well to hold on to James McClean's driven cross.

The home crowd began to sense a goal as the game went end-to-end. But although Sunderland were on top, Arsenal would have their moments.

Just before the half-hour, Robin van Persie released Gervinho. The Ivorian, who was the visitors' brightest attacking outlet so far, jinked himself so space and rifled in a shot that Simon Mignolet did well to push over the bar.

In the 32^nd minute, Arsenal thought they might have had a penalty when Song's perceptive pass released Van Persie in the area momentarily. Replays suggested John O'Shea had got his toe to the ball before he brought down the Dutch striker.

It seemed that Arsenal had forced their way back to parity in a cup tie that was starting to simmer. However they would end the half badly.

Five minutes before half-time, Djourou hauled down Craig Gardner and, though Vermaelen cleared Larsson's free-kick, Richardson returned the ball with interest.

Typical of Arsenal's fortune right now, the full-back's effort would have drifted wide but for a deflection off Vermaelen's arm. In fact, it found the far corner.

Arsenal were rattled and Sunderland sensed a second. They nearly got it when Larsson's deep cross was nodded back at far post by Jack Colback and McClean prodded the ball into the sidenetting.

Sunderland started the second half in similar fashion. Sagna took out McClean just outside the area and Larsson planted his free-kick on to the top of the net.

Ramsey had stayed out during the break, presumably to test out a knock. Clearly the result was negative as the Welshman limped off within 10 minutes of the restart. Rosicky came on.

Squillaci was wincing when Walcott replaced him at the same time. Song dropped into central defence while the Englishman went up front with Van Persie tucked in behind.

This was cup football and Wenger had set up his side to go for it. The changes would help their cause.

Arsenal suddenly looked to have a better balance and pushed forward. Van Persie whipped a low free-kick just wide as the visitors started to pen back the home side as they had done a week ago. However they were having trouble prising open a stubborn Sunderland defence.

Vermaelen's cross was inches too high for Van Persie then the Belgian's header was plucked out of the air by Mignolet.

Arsenal's increasing ambition left them open to the counter and Sunderland profited 13 minutes from time.

Sessignon shrugged off Arteta to force the breakaway. The Frenchman prodded a pass to Larsson on the right. His shot bounced off the inside of the post, ran across the goalline and the backtracking Oxlade-Chamberlain inadvertently scuffed the ball over the line.

As with the first goal, there was an element of bad luck. But it seems that is just Arsenal's lot at the moment.

Rosicky drove forward to set up Van Persie but the Dutchman hoisted his shot too high. In the final minute, Arteta cracked an effort just over the bar.

But Sunderland had more than done enough on the day.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 18 Feb 12

Sunderland fans salute Arsenal's storybook goalscorer Thierry Henry

Football can often seem a world inhabited by people who do little else but engage in vicious rows, fuel ancient feuds, earn enormous sums of money and, sometimes, neglect to shake hands.

Happily an antidote was delivered on Wearside. Widely accused, thoroughly erroneously, of forcing Steve Bruce out of the manager's office because he is a Geordie, not to mention being overly demanding, Sunderland fans have had a bad press lately.

On Saturday, though, not only Martin O'Neill but Thierry Henry and Arsène Wenger queued up to sing their praises after Henry signed off from a Premier League sabbatical by volleying Arsenal's 90th-minute winner.

The Frenchman, who returns to the New York Red Bulls immediately after Arsenal's Champions League tie in Milan on Wednesday, had begun on the bench but soon found himself the subject of generous serenades from home supporters when he warmed up and, later, replaced the well-shackled Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

"It was an amazing feeling," said Henry who connected with Andrey Arshavin's whipped-in, lobbed cross before finishing adroitly from close range. "It's always been a pleasure to come to Sunderland. I've always found this a very special place to play football and, when I was warming up, the fans near me started clapping.

"The atmosphere was fantastic and, with it being my last Premier League game, to score in the 90th minute was so special, something really magical. Andrey's cross was amazing, all I had to do was get a touch. It was so emotional."

Farewells are rarely more fitting but was it really the 34-year-old's last goodbye? "Sometimes you never know when something is going to end," said Henry. "I guess you can never say never. I never thought I was going to come back and play for Arsenal now. Who knows if I can say that this was definitely the end? We'll see."

O'Neill's instinct is that Wenger's star protege may return. "He doesn't have the same pace as before but he's still a very fine player," said Sunderland's manager, who must hope the Football Association does not elect to review footage of Stéphane Sessègnon's apparent, unpunished, stamp on Mikel Arteta. "You wouldn't be surprised if he comes back."

Henry's expert volleying technique certainly served as a sophisticated airbrush here, smoothing out the blemishes in a generally undistinguished away display in which Bacary Sagna and Alex Song proved Arsenal's best individuals and Wenger's initially bleak mood was exacerbated by the need to scrape technical area mud off his smartly polished shoes.

Having enjoyed a lucky first-half escape when the referee controversially declined to award Sunderland a penalty for Per Mertesacker's handball, Arsenal fell behind after the German defender's stumble allowed the irrepressible James McClean to sweep in a low, angled, left-foot shot.

In attempting to control the ball Arsenal's centre-half tore ankle ligaments but this latest cloud on Wenger's horizon came silver-lined. With virtually his first touch, Mertesacker's replacement, Aaron Ramsey, equalised.

Ceding Arsenal plenty of possession and playing on the break a tiring Sunderland looked poised for a point. Then, with time evaporating and McClean, Craig Gardner and John O'Shea vying for man of the match honours, Wenger withdrew the disappointing Theo Walcott and introduced Arshavin. Four minutes later the Russian centred and, dodging Michael Turner, the day's departing hero did the rest.

"I told the lads that Sunderland have played so well since Martin O'Neill arrived that we should be really happy with the win," said Henry. During his original Arsenal pomp the idea of being relieved at victory on Wearside would have been risible but Wenger's infinitely more fragile class of 2012 is engaged in a fight with Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool to simply finish fourth.

"We've gone through a bit of a crisis, losing a few games," acknowledged Arsenal's manager whose side return to the Stadium of Light for Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round tie. "Young players' confidence can drop quickly but Thierry helped keep us positive. He's been fantastic off the pitch and, on it, he's given us a big boost now. Let's hope we can continue like this without him."

Man of the match: Craig Gardner (Sunderland)

Source: Louise Taylor, The Guardian on 12 Feb 12

Who else?

Should we really be surprised that Thierry Henry signed off from the Premier League with a winning goal? He’s done it so many times before, yet his injury winner at Sunderland had that something extra special about it. It wasn’t that it was a wonder goal, it was just a poacher’s goal in the six yard box, but the goal was as important as it was symbolic.

Forgetting that it was Henry who scored, the goal itself was vital in our fight for fourth. Just two and a half weeks ago, we were lamenting the state of the team after the 0-0 draw at Bolton. Now we’re in the position we hope to occupy at the end of the season. With other results going our way, a draw would have felt like another missed opportunity. We also had to build on the 7-1 win, and a draw wouldn’t have been good enough. Now, the fact we were ruthless against Blackburn is looking extremely handy, as we’re currently only ahead of Chelsea in the table on goals scored.

Sunderland have been in great form since Martin O’Neill took over, and made themselves extremely hard to break down. It was cold, the pitch was bad, the hosts were organised; the list could go on of reasons as to why the match that was a prime candidate for dropping points. The game also came at the start of a massive week for our season, with AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, and another trip to Sunderland in the FA Cup next Saturday. Suddenly the team are going into those matches off the back of two very different wins, but equally as important ones. The 2-1 win at Sunderland said more about how much we want to finish in the top four than the 7-1 did.

The way we conceded the goal was disappointing, but ultimately we can’t go throwing any blame around. It was a terrible bit of bad luck for Mertesacker to collapse injured when he did, allowing James McClean to score. It could have been as a result of the pitch, but the way he went down made it look quite serious. I’m a big fan of Mertesacker and think he has been good, even though he is still adapting to the Premier League. Hopefully the injury isn’t as bad as it looked.

We’re fortunate that Kieran Gibbs is returning from injury, so Thomas Vermaelen can slot back into the centre of defence alongside Koscielny. However it means we’re one injury away from potentially looking exposed in defence again. With big games coming up, the players returning from injury have to get back up to speed quickly.

Generally, we kept Sunderland at bay well until their goal. Wojciech Szczesny made a few important saves, showing that some of his slightly shaky moments in recent weeks are behind him. Otherwise, Sunderland didn’t commit too many players forward as they looked content to just watch us pass the ball in front of them. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain couldn’t reach the heights of his recent performances, while Theo Walcott was a bit wasteful in some promising positions. Arsene Wenger’s substitutions have been under the microscope since the Manchester United match, however all three of the players he introduced in the second had a massive impact on the game, and effectively won it for us. Wenger got it spot on.

When Mertesacker was stretchered off, it would have been easy to bring on Gibbs and move Vermaelen into the centre, but Ramsey was introduced instead. Within minutes of coming on, it was clear that he’d benefitted from a break from the team. I think he was on the end of some harsh, and often unfair, criticism during January, so I was really pleased to see him on the score sheet. There was some significant luck involved in his goal, with the ball hitting both posts, but with some of the bad luck he’s had in his young career, no-one can begrudge him a goal like that. It was also good to see someone shoot from the outside the box. With Sunderland sitting deeper and the space to slide a pass being limited, the shot from distance was a good option, and Ramsey’s shot was well hit given the bobbly pitch.

So onto the winning goal. Andrey Arshavin needs to have a good end to the season, he needs to make an impact. If he does what he did at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, his critics will be quiet. It was what makes Arshavin so infuriating. We all know he has a huge amount of talent, he just has to show it more often, and when it really matters. In injury time, he did show it when it really mattered. His cross from the left was perfect, it just needed someone perfect on the end to finish it.

Apart from Robin van Persie, I’m not sure if there is anyone else in world football I’d prefer to have on the end of a cross like that, than Thierry Henry. In all the minutes he’s been on the pitch in this loan spell, frankly, he hasn’t really done much; except for scoring three goals. Even at this stage of his career, that is what sets Henry apart from others. Even though he isn’t physically able to score the type of goals he used to, he is intelligent enough and clever enough to know where to be to score, and then stay calm when in that position. When Arshavin’s cross came in, it was no coincidence that Henry was between the two defenders, and then he opened his body up well and guided the ball in.

Honestly, I didn’t expect anything from this loan spell. Plus, as much as we Arsenal fans didn’t want to admit it, there was always that niggling fear that he might be terrible and score no goals. It wouldn’t have ruined his reputation or status at the club, but there would have been some disappointment and a tinge of sadness from fans. But why should we have doubted him? He is Thierry Henry. He has some much pride in his football, and even more pride when wearing the cannon on his chest, that he wouldn’t have allowed himself to let Arsenal down. He has enhanced his reputation, and his legend status at the club, and in the Premier League as a whole, has been assured. As long as the Premier League exists, people will talk about Thierry Henry, and he is 100% a Gooner.

His goals have been crucial. Leeds United was one of the most magical moments I’ve experienced in a football stadium, and it won us a match that we’d lacked a cutting edge in. The Blackburn goal was a bit scrappy, and was seemingly a bit meaningless, but now we’re level on goal difference with Chelsea, that could be vital by the end of the season. Also, in his last home match, the script writers weren’t going to let him not find the net. However he saved the most important goal for last, with the winner at Sunderland. Or was it his last goal? The San Siro awaits on Wednesday. Thierry has history there. You wouldn’t put it past him writing one last paragraph in his incredible Arsenal love story, the day after Valentines’ Day.

He has put a massive smile on the face of every Arsenal fan. Even if for fleeting moments, it’s occasionally felt like the good old days. From a playing point of view, it’ll be sad to see him go again later in the week. We’ll be back in a vulnerable position in the squad without reliable back up for Robin van Persie. However we need to be positive at the moment. Henry never truly left Arsenal, and he never will. I wouldn’t be surprised if a similar loan deal was done next season. The words don’t really exist to justify what Thierry Henry means to Arsenal fans, what Arsenal means to Thierry and what a legend he is. Thank you Thierry, you’re one of us, but you’re also an Arsenal fan that is one of the greatest players ever to have played in England. Thank you Arsene for signing him in the first place, and then for bringing him back.

Source: Sam Limbert, ESPN Soccernet on 13 Feb 12

Arsenal's Thierry Henry breaks sorry Sunderland hearts at home

Arsène Wenger has made the odd controversial substitution of late but here his three changes – two tactical, one enforced – perfectly prepared the stage for Thierry Henry's dramatic farewell to English football. Aaron Ramsey's equaliser looked to have secured a draw but although that might have offered a diplomatic solution for David Miliband – the former foreign secretary supported Arsenal before becoming Sunderland's vice-chairman – Andrey Arshavin created Henry's thoroughly memorable volleyed 90th-minute winner.

All three Arsenal players had begun on the bench, with Henry applauded by Sunderland fans when he initially warmed up and then later replaced Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Little did those home supporters know what the striker, who returns to the New York Red Bulls on Thursday after the end of his loan stint, had in store for them, but even the most one-eyed would surely acknowledge it was some way to sign off from an emotional Premier League sabbatical.

"Thierry finished the story of the legend today," said Wenger, who had thought long and hard before bringing Arsenal's ageing former idol back to north London. "Thierry showed that exceptional talent survives."

Helpfully, Henry's rare gift extricated Arsenal from a tight spot. "It was very difficult," Wenger said. "Sunderland have a lot of spirit now, they were trying to catch us on the break all the time but we were intelligent and patient." His team, minus Henry, will be back on Wearside next Saturday to contest a fifth-round FA Cup tie, with neutrals hoping it will mirror today's second-half excitement rather than the opening period's disappointment.

Maybe Sunderland were simply exhausted after Wednesday's extra-time replay efforts against Middlesbrough and perhaps Arsenal had one eye on Wednesday's Champions League trip to Milan, but the first 45 minutes proved infinitely forgettable. The sight of Theo Walcott miscontrolling a routine pass seemed emblematic of a frustratingly low tempo opening in which Arsenal monopolised possession but rarely penetrated. Sunderland's gameplan was all about double marking Oxlade-Chamberlain before catching Wenger's team on the counterattack. Unfortunately, when they did break, the necessary speed, both physical and mental, was missing.

Granted, Simon Mignolet, Sunderland's goalkeeper, had reason to thank Jack Colback for a splendid block on Tomas Rosicky's goalbound shot but the only real early excitement surrounded a forlorn penalty appeal.

Although a stumbling Per Mertesacker clearly handled, Neil Swarbrick, the referee, dismissed Sunderland's spot-kick claims, suggesting it was accidental. Unfortunately for the heavily jeered Swarbrick, his was a decision shrouded in grey as it looked a clear case of hand to ball. Indeed, Arsenal's lamp post of a centre-half seemed to be somehow attempting to regain his balance by grasping at the airborne ball. "It looked a penalty," said Martin O'Neill. "We didn't deserve to lose."

Things were livening up. Wojciech Szczesny repelled Craig Gardner's fierce volley, Henry replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain and then Sunderland scored. Injuring ankle ligaments as he attempted to control the ball, the unfortunate Mertesacker lost his footing and collapsed, permitting James McClean to accelerate down the left wing before defying an awkward angle to sweep a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Little had been seen of Wenger since an early foray into the technical area left the Frenchman scraping mud off his smart black shoes. Now Arsenal's apparently world weary manager sat slumped, arms folded deep in the dugout. Evidently no one had reminded him that, sometimes, clouds really do come silver-lined. With Mertesacker carried off on a stretcher, Ramsey appeared and, with virtually his first touch, he equalised, his shot from the edge of the area flying in off the inside of a post. Henry's denouement beckoned. Sneaking in front of Michael Turner he expertly volleyed Arshavin's looping cross past Mignolet. Suddenly Wenger was back on his feet and in the technical area, his smile dazzling.

Source: Louise Taylor, The Guardian on 11 Feb 12

Henry the hero in Gunners victory

Thierry Henry signed off with a last-ditch winner as Arsenal came from behind to see off Sunderland 2-1.

The Frenchman, playing in the final Barclays Premier League game of his loan spell, volleyed home from Andrey Arshavin's injury-time cross to complete a comeback which had begun when Aaron Ramsey had cancelled out James McClean's 70th-minute opener.

However, the visitors were unhappy with the Irishman, who picked up a loose ball with defender Per Mertesacker writhing on the ground after catching his studs in the turf and fired past keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

It proved a difficult afternoon for the Germany international, who survived first-half appeals for a penalty from the bulk of a crowd of 40,312 in a hard-fought encounter.

Sunderland went into the game defending a five-game unbeaten run and having won nine of the 13 games they had played under manager Martin O'Neill, but knowing they faced one of the toughest tests of that sequence of fixtures.

Arsenal's 7-1 demolition of Blackburn last weekend had not exactly set the alarm bells ringing, but the Black Cats knew they would have to be at their very best to get anything out of the game.

They left the pitch at half-time all square, but firmly believing they should have been in front, not because they dominated the opening 45 minutes, but because they felt they had been done a major injustice.

The Gunners enjoyed the better of the possession, although it was their hosts who created the first real opening when McClean headed Sebastian Larsson's near-post corner over the bar with 11 minutes played.

But with Mikel Arteta anchoring an Arsenal midfield in which Tomas Rosicky ahead of him linked with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott at every opportunity, the visitors were a threat throughout.

However, while they were forced to soak up pressure for much of the first half, the Black Cats rearguard was in no mood to be punctured and 28-goal striker Robin van Persie was kept relatively quiet by his standards with Michael Turner in particular impressive.

The visitors' best chances of the half both fell to England international Walcott, who fired across goal from Van Persie's 23rd-minute pass, and then volleyed harmlessly over on the half-hour from Alex Song's cross.

However, the game erupted into controversy six minutes before the break when O'Neill's men thought they should have been awarded a penalty.

Mertesacker controlled Jack Colback's cross on his chest, but then saw the ball rear up off the turf and hit his arm.

But as the home fans appealed as one, referee Neil Swarbrick waved play on.

The official's stock fell further with the home fans with a minute of the half left to play when he booked Fraizer Campbell for a foul on Van Persie, and he headed for the dressing room at the break to a predictably hostile chorus.

Arsenal controlled the opening stages of the second half too, although again without causing too many problems for the home side.

However, it was Sunderland who went close seven minutes after the restart when, after Craig Gardner's shot from a free-kick move had been blocked, the ball fell to defender John O'Shea, who blazed high over.

But the traffic was largely one way and as Sunderland's efforts to clear their lines grew increasingly desperate, they found themselves retreating deep into their own half.

Sixty-one minutes had elapsed without either keeper having to make a save of any note, but Wojciech Szczesny was called upon twice within as many minutes to deny Gardner as the home side threatened to turn the tide.

First the Pole got down well to turn away the midfielder's left-foot drive, and he then needed to be even more resolute to repel the same player's dipping volley.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger decided enough was enough with 24 minutes left when he replaced Oxlade-Chamberlain with loan signing Henry, but his side fell behind in unfortunate circumstances within four minutes of the Frenchman's arrival.

Mertesacker caught his studs in the turf as he attempted to shepherd a harmless ball back to Szczesny, and as he collapsed to the floor in agony, McClean ran clear to fire past the keeper for his second goal in as many league games.

The Germany international left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Ramsey, who needed just three minutes to announce his arrival in style.

A loose ball broke to the midfielder 20 yards out and he swivelled to send in a low shot which hit both posts before crossing the line with Mignolet helpless.

But there was more to come as the game entered stoppage time when Henry timed his run to perfection to turn fellow substitute Arshavin's cross past Mignolet.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 11 Feb 12

Wenger's reaction to the Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal match

on another happy ending for Thierry…
He finished the story of the legend today in the championship; I hope he will add some in the Champions League on Wednesday now. Certainly he got us the three points in a difficult game where Sunderland were resilient, well organised and tried to catch us on the break every time. You could see that they have a lot of spirit in their side. It was also on a very difficult pitch. We had a lot of the ball but we couldn't create a lot because our passing was good but it was very difficult to get into their defence.

On top of that we were 1-0 down so it was a question of a spirited performance and that is what happened in the end. I felt we were intelligent, patient and resilient.

on unfortunate Sunderland goal...
It was unfortunate. Mertesacker told me that he got a shot in his ankle and couldn't move at all anymore. We are a bit worried about his ankle I must say because he goes home on crutches. He has done some ligament damage, but how big that is we will have to check tomorrow. For sure he is out for Wednesday.

on possibility of stopping play…
I thought about it during the game after they scored but you cannot demand that. You do not know if a guy has gone down through injury or because he slipped. It's just that in the action you cannot demand to stop.

on Henry…
It might haunt me again because then people will say 'why did he not stay?' It just shows you as well that these players never lose it. Exceptional talent survives. You have that with Giggs and Scholes at Manchester United and Thierry here. It is just a luxury to have a player like him on the bench.

on bringing him back again…
We will see next season, but maybe he might want to stop at some stage as well!

on being fourth…
Two weeks ago everybody said it was out of reach for us and today we are in it. So we have to be cautious. But we are happy to be back in this position but it is still very open for everybody around there. You have Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool, us and it's down to consistency now.
 
Source: Arsenal.com on 11 Feb 12

11 February 2012: Sunderland 1-2 Arsenal, Stadium of Light

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

Thierry Henry secured a vital victory at Sunderland on Saturday with virtually his last kick for Arsenal in England.

The talismanic Frenchman is due to end his second spell with the Club after their European tie at Milan on Wednesday, so this afternoon was the record goalscorer’s farewell to the Premier League.

As ever, he supplied a fairytale for the occasion by guiding home Andrey Arshavin’s exquisite cross in the dying seconds.

The strike was the 229th of Henry’s career and capped a stunning comeback for Arsenal, who had dominated the game but trailed to James McClean’s opportunist strike with 20 minutes left after an unchallenged Per Mertesacker had gone down with an instant injury.

Substitute Aaron Ramsey equalised five minutes later with a trickling shot that bounced off both posts before going in. Arsenal huffed and puffed in pursuit of the winner but only Henry could blow Sunderland’s house down.

This was a highly unremarkable game in which utterly remarkable things happened. Wenger, however, will only care about the points.

With Chelsea and Liverpool both losing, this was a huge victory for Arsenal, who are now fourth above the Stamford Bridge outfit on goals scored.

Henry was the hero once again. And, for many, he will remain that way.

This was a fitting farewell to the English game.

The early kick-off saw Manchester United beat Liverpool in a fractious affair at Old Trafford. The quartet of teams currently ensnared in the race for fourth place all had tricky away trips. Kenny Dalglish’s side probably had the toughest task and had already fallen short.

Arsenal’s assignment was only a little less daunting as they faced the Premier League’s in-form side. Martin O’Neill’s men had garnered 22 points out of 30 since his appointment in December.

Understandably, Wenger made few changes from the side that humbled Blackburn 7-1 last Saturday. In fact his only switch was to give Bacary Sagna his second start at right back since October 2. Francis Coquelin dropped to the bench.

Meanwhile, for his side’s fifth game in 13 days, O’Neill chose the same XI that had played 120 minutes on Wednesday in an FA Cup replay against Middlesbrough. Arsenal’s start suggested they were very aware of the potential fatigue factor.

Right from the off, the visitors set a lively pace that penned back their hosts.

However, chances were always rare. Thomas Vermaelen’s header from Robin van Persie’s corner was blocked by keeper Simon Mignolet. At the other end, Laurent Koscielny was dispossessed by Stephane Sessegnon and Fraizer Campbell’s shot was deflected wide.

That was about it for the open 20 minutes. Truth be told, this was a stodgy game on a stodgy pitch.

There was brief moment of class when Walcott, Arsenal’s brightest attacking option in the first half, popped on the right and dragged his shot across a few feet past the far post.

However the England international then hoisted a horribly high volley over the bar from Song’s crossfield chip.

As the half wore on, Sunderland were still territorially disadvantaged but they were able to create more on the break.

However, in keeping with a moribund first 45 minutes, the main talking point was an unforced error. Six minutes from the whistle, Jack Colback sent over an aimless cross from the left and Mertesacker slipped in the area as he attempted to clear. The ball hit the German’s hand - it was only the deliberation that was in question.

Much to the chagrin of the home crowd, referee Neil Swarbrick waved play on.

Arsenal ended the first half on top and Rosicky, who had an influential 45 minutes, saw a shot blocked.

The pattern stayed the same after the interval. The visitors had the energy and the urgency but Sunderland soaked up the pressure.

Mignolet fumbled Van Persie’s early shot but John O’Shea thumped a loose ball just over the bar in reply when Seb Larsson’s free-kick was blocked.

It was perhaps Sunderland’s clearest chance but it only spurred on Arsenal. For the next five minutes they laid siege to the home goal. However, they could not force Mingolet in action.

Wojciech Szczesny had to make his first serious save in the 57th minute after Larsson’s corner was cleared to Craig Gardner. He let fly and Szczesny flew to his left to tip the ball around the post.

That effort was, in fact, offside. However, it would have counted a few minutes later when the Gardner tried his luck again from a similar distance. Szczesny saved once and then mopped up the rebound.

Wenger then brought on Henry to try and force a goal. And, indeed, the opener was close. But it would go Sunderland’s way in the most unfortunate fashion.

In the 70th minute, Sagna tapped the ball back to Mertesacker on the right, who turned to usher the ball back to his keeper. However, the German went down in distress with no-one in close attendance. McClean collected the loose ball, advanced on goal and bent his shot into far corner of the net.

It was a stunning way to lose a goal. But Arsenal also lost a player. Mertesacker was stretchered off and Ramsey came on.

Within five minutes, the Welshman had struck the equaliser. Arteta’s shot was deflected to his feet just outside the area. Ramsey’s shot was not clean but it bobbled past Mingolet, bounced off his right-hand post, trickled across the line, hit the other post and, eventually, meandered over the line.

It was a massive goal for Arsenal and set up a frantic final. As we had seen all game, the urgency came from the visitors. It seemed that Sunderland were happy with a point.

A minute from normal time, substitute Arshavin crossed from the left and Van Persie rose unmarked six yards out. However, he could only direct his header straight at Mignolet.

Then, at the death, Henry did his thing.

It was the cue for pandemonium amongst the Arsenal fans who deserved this moment for travelling all this way in such frosty conditions.

Ta Ta Thierry. Thanks for everything.

And can we have a grand ‘arrivederci’ in Milan on Wedneday too please?

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 11 Feb 12

Robin van Persie gives relieved Arsenal victory over Sunderland

Where would Arsenal be without Robin van Persie? It is a question they dare not contemplate, even if it threatens to become an issue next summer – and the reason was writ large upon this vital but nervous victory.

The captain's contribution from the start was eye-catching, but it was the waft of his left boot with nine minutes remaining that provided the decisive moment, and one that led to an outpouring of relief in this corner of north London.

His team had performed their usual trick of turning a position of strength into one of weakness in what had seemed like no time at all. Sunderland, who dug in for their embattled manager, Steve Bruce, could reflect upon costly misses in the second part of the first half.

Arsenal recovered to control the second period without creating too much of clear-cut note, and it looked as if Sunderland might hang on for a battling point. Van Persie, though, refused to allow that story-line to play out. He won a free-kick from Wes Brown after a surging run and, having placed the ball, sent it spinning over the defensive wall and into the top corner. If his team were just about value for the win, he fully deserved his ovation at full-time.

Van Persie's dream calendar year goes on. His two goals here took his tally for Arsenal to 28 in 34 games. It is little wonder that the club are desperate for him to extend his contract beyond June 2013 and why the Dutchman's preference for waiting until next summer to open talks has prompted such anxiety.

"Unfortunately, the ideal situation does not exist often," said the manager, Arsène Wenger. "The ideal situation is that he extends his length of contract but if he does not, we have to respect that. What is important is that he plays like he plays. For me, commitment is not how long you are at the club, it is as long as you are there, you give 100 per cent until the last day of your contract.

"Robin knows that we are ready to talk. The most important thing is what you do today and how much you are committed to the cause for as long as you are at the club."

Van Persie has grown weary of the furore surrounding his desire to postpone the contract discussions, which has been interpreted as a sign that he does not want to commit long-term just yet. He was asked after the game whether his future was at the club. "I'm committed, as I said," he replied. "This is my eighth year. If you can see one player who is committed, it is me."

Nobody doubts Van Persie's commitment when he crosses the white line and it was his impishness that inspired Arsenal to a fine start. He punished Sunderland for their early sleepwalking with a predator's finish on 29 seconds, which was Arsenal's quickest goal of the Premier League era. The he almost added a gem. Having beaten Kieran Richardson with a languid Cruyff-turn, he chipped sumptuously towards the left top corner: think Eric Cantona for Manchester United against Sunderland in 1996. Unlike Cantona, however, he was denied by the woodwork.

Arsenal were in charge midway through the first-half but by half-time had surrendered the lead and were fortunate not to be trailing. It was a shocking turnaround and they left the field to a smattering of boos. Wenger spoke of a "confidence wobble" and it represented further evidence of his team's brittleness. Sunderland's equaliser came after Mikel Arteta's needless handball gave Sebastien Larsson the opportunity of a free-kick from 25 yards and the former Arsenal midfielder curled the ball to perfection.

Bruce's team went for the jugular and he felt that the result would have been different if Lee Cattermole had converted a header from point-blank range, rather than seen Wojciech Szczesny save sharply. Jack Colback also volleyed over when well placed. Van Persie's brilliance ensured that Arsenal escaped with the three points.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 16 Oct 11

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland match

on Robin van Persie's contribution…
Well, he scored two goals. I think you have to analyse the game a little bit to see how important he is. The first goal was a good display of the team and the second chance he made the difference just because of his skill, which was exceptional.

on the game...
We started well for the first 25 minutes and then when they equalised you could see that we were wobbling a bit with confidence. At half time the team regrouped and then the second half was all us. I have seen a few games over the weekend and I must say that of all the teams away from home Sunderland were 100 per cent committed, played with six midfielders and four defenders and fought for every inch on the pitch. I did not see many teams doing that yesterday so I believe that they deserve a lot of credit. They made life difficult for us.

on free-kick opportunities…
We didn't make enough of our free-kicks, that's an area that we can improve. If you consider the number of free-kicks we had today in interesting zones and the corners we had in offensive positions I feel we have to make more of our set-pieces.

on growing confidence…
We have now won five home games on the trot. If we can put another two or three results together it will help confidence because you can feel that the attitude and spirit of the team is great. Even at half time we had a good response. The motivation is there and the quality too so we should eventually get there.

on Van Persie's captaincy credentials...
Many people question his leadership qualities but I believe he is completely committed for the cause on a daily basis. What's even more important is that he does the job on the football pitch.

on his status as a free-kick taker...
Yes he among the best in the league, with Sebastian Larsson. I think Larsson is maybe the best free-kick taker in the league.

on Van Persie's contract…
It depends what you call commitment. For me commitment is not about how long you are at a club. As long as you are at a club you will give 100 per cent until the last day of your contract. That for me is what you call commitment. The length of a contract is completely different. For me you have players who have ten-year contracts who don't give full commitment, and for me it is not about the length of a contract. He knows that we are ready to talk about it but the most important thing is today and how much you are committed to the cause as long as you are at the Club.

on a new deal for Van Persie being the 'ideal situation'…
Unfortunately the ideal situation in football does not exist often. The ideal situation is that he extends his contract but if he doesn't you have to respect that. You know what is important is that he plays like he plays because we are all here to see special football players and he is a special football player.

on Marseille…
Marseille is a good team but they are under pressure a little bit like we are in the league because they didn't start as strong as they would have expected. That puts more pressure on you. They have done well in the Champions League, certainly, because it is a competition where there is a bit less expectation and they are less under pressure. They are a quality team.

on Kieran Gibbs and Aaron Ramsey…
Gibbs has an inflammation of his stomach muscles. Ramsey has a small chance to be in the squad, he had fatigue of his hamstring but it is a very, very minor one. I wanted to give him a breather. It would have been a gamble to play.

Source: Arsenal.com on 16 Oct 11

16 October 2011: Arsenal 2-1 Sunderland, Emirates Stadium

Robin van Persie reaffirmed his commitment to Arsenal then fired his side to a crucial 2-1 win over Sunderland on Sunday.

Before kick-off this afternoon, the captain used his programme notes to assure the Emirates Stadium faithful that his full focus was on hauling Arsène Wenger’s team back up the table.

Within half a minute of the opening whistle he set about doing just that by putting Arsenal in front. The home side, and Van Persie, looked like grabbing more in the wake of the goal but an excellent free-kick from Seb Larsson on the half-hour undermined their early confidence.

Arsenal went on the offensive after the interval but it looked like being another one of ‘those’ afternoons before Van Persie fired home a late free-kick that matched Larsson’s for quality.

This was not the most convincing victory but, nonetheless, a victory it was.

In the end, it will be those – and only those – that bring Arsenal back into contention at the top of the table.

And three points this afternoon lifts them back into the upper half of that list.

Wenger made three changes from the side beaten at Tottenham a fortnight earlier. Bacary Sagna had suffered a fractured fibula in that game so Carl Jenkinson made only his fourth first-team start at right back.

Aaron Ramsey had suffered a muscular injury playing for Wales in midweek so Tomas Rosicky returned to central midfield. Laurent Koscielny was fit again so Alex Song moved back into his familiar role as the defensive shield. Francis Coquelin had belied his years to fill that role with aplomb at White Hart Lane. This afternoon he dropped out of the squad.

Sunderland were without Nicklas Bendtner due to the terms of his loan spell from Arsenal. Surprisingly Steve Bruce employed midfielder Stephane Sessegnon as his lone front man.

As the home crowd settled down into their seats at Emirates Stadium they may have read the matchday programme – and Van Persie’s notes in particular - with interest.

In the first 15 minutes the Dutchman played like he was making a point.

Inside 30 seconds he put Arsenal ahead by cleverly allowing a pass from Gervinho to run across his body on the edge of the area before firing low past Simon Mignolet.

It was Van Persie’s sixth of the season and he celebrated with relief as much as joy. Then he set about adding to the total.

In the 12th minute he came closest. The captain shielded Arteta’s pass away from his marker down the right-hand channel then, with Mingolet off his line, tried to execute a Bergkamp-style chip over the keeper and into the net. However, his effort hit the inside the of the far post and bounced across the goal-line before Sunderland managed to snaffle away the danger.

A couple of minutes later he thundered a shot just wide from the edge of the area.

On another day Van Persie would have had a hat-trick inside 15 minutes – and a high quality one at that.

In the 21st minute Gervinho muscled in on the skipper’s one-man show by cutting inside from the left and firing over from range.

Up to this point it was all Arsenal. Sunderland were being overrun and in acute danger of conceding more.

However, by the half-hour they would be level. Just before the equaliser, Sessegnon beat the Arsenal offside trap - and then the charging Szczesny - but the hosts managed to get enough bodies back to defend the open goal.

A couple of minutes later Arsenal failed to clear their lines and the jumping Mikel Arteta handled a high, hanging clearance.

Larsson had perfected his free-kick technique as a Reserve-team player with the home side. He displayed just how much he had learnt by curling a pin-point effort past Szczesny from 25 yards.

It was less than Sunderland deserved but the visitors quickly sought to capitalise. Sessegnon found space on the left of the area and he was given enough space to reach Lee Cattermole four yards out. The midfielder’s header was from point-blank range but Szczesny threw himself to his left to make the save. A brilliant and crucial stop.

Suddenly Arsenal looked nervous. They tried to rally but Sunderland carved out another clear chance in injury time when Larsson nodded down for the unmarked Jack Colback to whip a volley inches over the bar.

Wenger sent his side out with a different mentality after the break. In the opening stages, Song had a goal-bound shot charged down then Walcott forced a fine save from Mignolet at the near post.

Although Arsenal lost Kieran Gibbs in the 53rd minute, fortunately they had a direct replacement in Andre Santos.

The change did not upset the home side’s charge for a second goal. As a result, Sunderland picked up a flurry of yellow cards trying to stop Arsenal breaking through.

In the 65th minute, Van Persie’s low effort was kicked away by Mignolet at the near post. Despite dominating territorially, it was the closest Arsenal had come in the second half.

Not surprisingly, Wenger made an attacking change shortly afterwards – Andrey Arshavin for Gervinho. The Russian was quickly in the game.

In the 73rd minute, he weaved through four Sunderland defenders before poking a shot just wide.

After that, Wenger threw on Yossi Benayoun for Rosicky. The pattern of the game was now set – Arsenal attacking, camped in the visitors’ half; Sunderland defending, working hard to snuff out their hosts’ attacks.

It seemed like one of those days when individual brilliance or good fortune would decide the three points.

In the end, it was the former.

Eight minutes from full time, Wes Brown upended Van Persie just outside the area to the right of goal. The Dutchman stepped up to curl home a fine free-kick. Yet again, relief was the only response.

Sunderland substitute Ji Dong-Won had the ball in the net seconds later but was rightly flagged offside. However Arshavin, who was having a fine cameo, stung the hands of Mignolet in reply.

The visitors had now performed an about-face. They were pouring forward and Arsenal were defending for their lives.

But, by hook or by crook, the home side got the win they so needed.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 16 Oct 11

Arsenal 'nearly men' at it again

Arsenal's inability to shake off disappointment has been at the root of their six-year trophy drought, yet this was the day when another negative reaction to a setback saw their own supporters run out of patience with the team that have traded in false promise for far too long.

Last Sunday's Carling Cup final defeat was both humiliating and embarrassing for an Arsenal side who had spent the build-up to their Wembley date with Birmingham pondering whether injured skipper Cesc Fabregas or his stand-in Robin van Persie would lift the club's first piece of silverware in six years, so they needed to respond to the defeat and confirm they are still genuine title challengers with a thumping win against Sunderland.

However, with Fabregas and Van Persie resuming their familiar positions on the injury list, Arsenal fans were treated to another afternoon of frustrated heartache that was made all the more painful by two misguided decisions from the match officials that denied them the salvation they desperately needed as they looked to close to within one point of Manchester United at the top of the table.

Much-maligned Russian winger Andrei Arshavin was the victim of two cases of injustice late in this game as, first he was denied a penalty when Titus Bramble shoved him over in the box, before a misplaced offside flag cut short his goal celebrations that so nearly spared the anguish of the traumatised Emirates Stadium faithful.

The salvation they were crying out for was not to come and many of the Arsenal fans who saw their side draw this damaging blank had prepared themselves for yet more despair as early as the 20th minute of a game that was always laced with danger for Wenger's wounded troops.

With the majority of the fans present still hurting after Arsenal's Wembley defeat against Birmingham a week ago, it merely needed the sight of keeper Wojciech Szczesny being forced into a flying save to keep out Stephane Sessegnon to send a shiver of trepidation around the red masses.

With Emirates Stadium fall guy Nicklas Bendtner starting up front in the absence of Van Persie and Jack Wilshere handed the Fabregas role in the midfield engine room, Arsenal failed to flutter a Sunderland heart as Steve Bruce's 4-5-1 formation allowed his side to hold their own with some ease in the first half.

While the home side went closer to finding a breakthrough in the second half, a fine display from Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet and some wayward Arsenal finishing gave the home fans plenty of opportunity to overflow with frustration and thus was the story as this game wound towards its conclusion.

At first it was merely the odd stray member of Wenger's congregation who exploded with venom, but it was more a collection chorus of exasperation echoing around this stadium as the final whistle drew nothing but anger from supporters who are growing tired of the diet of failure the legendary French boss has served up since 2005.

Wenger was predictably downbeat as he met the media packed primed with their awkward questions and the Arsenal boss did his best to deflect his attention away from his side's latest failure by pointing an accusing finger at the match officials.

"After what happened at Wembley last Sunday, this was a game we needed to try and win 1-0 as I was never expecting a perfect performance," admitted Wenger. "The result we needed would have been ours if the two big decisions in the game had not gone against us, but what can I do about that. People may laugh at these poor decisions, but you would not laugh if you were in my position.

"I cannot deny that this result has come at a very bad moment for us and it is hard to say how big an impact it may have on the title race. Even though the performance of the team was excellent, we didn't find our attacking fluency and could not score the important goal and that means it was another disappointment for us to absorb."

Wenger's opposite number had some sympathy for his rival's increasingly anguished plight, as Steve Bruce suggested Arsenal's enduring wait for a trophy triumph is weighing heavily on the shoulders of a talented squad that appear to lack the belief all winners exude.

"That first major honour is all this Arsenal team are lacking and if and when they get it, which I am sure they will, then the floodgates may open for them," said a delighted Sunderland manager. "You look around their talented squad and there is hardly anyone in there who has won anything and that's got to be an issue for them.

"Manchester United and Chelsea have players all over the park who have a whole stack of medals to fuel their belief, but Arsenal are still chasing that first big prize and it may well be holding them back. That said, this is a two-horse title race and they are one of the two teams in it and they still have a big chance to win the Premier League, even after this result."

The concern for Arsenal supporters must be that, for all the platitudes their team receive for their flowing football, a season that has promised so much for them could be left in tatters over the next seven days as this latest setback is followed by a Champions League trip to Barcelona and an FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

With optimism apparently draining away from those who pay their hard-earned cash to follow this talented - if flawed - Arsenal side at Emirates Stadium, you have to wonder whether the fragile confidence that clearly exists in Wenger's dressing room is also at breaking point.

Arsenal have come up short time and again when their dates with destiny have arrived in recent years, but failure is not an option for Wenger this time. The trouble is, such a desperate fate somehow seems inevitable for this team of nearly men.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Simon Mignolet
The Sunderland 'keeper pulled off a string of fine saves to keep Arsenal at bay, but he was helped by some poor finishing from the title chasers.

SNOOD UPDATE
On a day when FIFA announced that the snood neck warmers favoured by the more delicate footballers will soon be banned, Arsenal substitute Marouane Chamakh suggested he was ready to man up by first sporting the offending woollen appendage and then discarding it in macho fashion. Good on ya tough guy.

FOOD HEAVEN
Congratulations go to the Arsenal press office team who served up a magnificent chicken curry to those of us fortunate enough to be treated like royalty at Emirates Stadium. The ever-present ice cream fridge is also greatly appreciated.

ARSENAL VERDICT
They lacked ideas and invention without Fabregas, Van Persie and Theo Walcott, yet those three tend to be injured a little too much to rely so heavily on them. It is far from impossible to imagine a scenario that sees Arsenal winning the Premier League title, but the tide seems to be turning against them at a crucial point in the campaign once again.

Source: Kevin Palmer, ESPN Soccernet on 5 Mar 11

Gunners misfire at home

Arsenal were left frustrated in their quest to close the gap on Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United as Sunderland battled through a goalless draw at Emirates Stadium.

After Sunderland started brightly, the Gunners, who head to Barcelona on Tuesday for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash, gained the upper hand, as Nicklas Bendtner's angled shot was tipped over by man of the match Simon Mignolet.

The crossbar saved Sunderland in the second half, while Andrey Arshavin should have been given a penalty and then had a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside.

Arsenal were looking to close the gap on United, who play at Liverpool tomorrow, down to just one point following an unbeaten league run of 10 games.

Sunderland, meanwhile, were out to avoid a fifth successive defeat after showing such promise earlier in the campaign and a first win at Arsenal since 1983.

There was an early chance for Steve Bruce's men when Jordan Henderson got into the right side of the Arsenal penalty area and his cross was cut out by Gael Clichy.

Arsenal could have been forgiven if they had other things on their minds, with the trip to Barcelona on the horizon.

It took a while for the beaten Carling Cup finalists to settle as Sunderland continued to enjoy the better of the early possession.

Arsenal suddenly burst to life on 10 minutes as Bendtner was inches away from connecting with Clichy's low centre across the six-yard box, before Samir Nasri's curling effort was well held by Sunderland keeper Mignolet.

However, it needed a good save from Wojciech Szczesny - whose last-minute blunder cost Arsenal so dear at Wembley - to deny Stephane Sessegnon the opener on 17 minutes after the Benin midfielder was left too much space on the right of the Arsenal penalty box.

The atmosphere inside Emirates Stadium was somewhat muted, as the home crowd grew increasingly frustrated at Arsenal's lack of usual fluid passing game.

Arshavin got ahead of Titus Bramble at the edge of the Sunderland area, only for the ball to run through to the keeper.

Nasri showed great close control to weave into the penalty box, but his near post shot was deflected behind.

From the resulting corner, Bendtner's acrobatic overhead kick went straight at the keeper.

As half-time approached, Jack Wilshere chipped the ball through to Bendtner down the right side of the box, and his half volley was dipping into the far corner - but Mignolet tipped it over.

Arsenal were in need of some inspiration if they were to capitalise on United's midweek defeat at Chelsea.

Sunderland, though, continued to hassle the Gunners at the start of the second half.

Both teams went through a spell of being unable to hold onto the ball, adding to the sense of frustration.

Substitute Marouane Chamakh almost had an instant impact just after the hour as he burst down the right and squared for Arshavin, but his first-time shot was saved at the near post by Mignolet.

Arsenal fans upped the volume, yet Sunderland refused to buckle.

Arsenal had a free-kick just outside the area when Wilshere was tripped by Sessegnon. Nasri lifted it over the wall, but Mignolet touched it onto the crossbar before it was hacked clear.

The same woodwork saved Sunderland again when Chamakh crashed in his header from Wilshere's cross, before Bacary Sagna drilled an angled shot just over.

Arshavin darted onto Nasri's throughball ahead of Bramble, but just as he was about to pull the trigger, the Russian was pushed in the back by the stumbling defender - but the referee failed to give a penalty.

It was a massive let-off for Sunderland, who almost snatched the lead when Danny Welbeck's shot on the turn was pushed wide by Szczesny.

Arshavin looked to have beaten the offside trap as he rounded the keeper, but the assistant on the far side flagged - even though replays showed the Russian level with the Sunderland right-back.

Arsenal continued to press through four minutes of stoppage time, but in the end were left frustrated.

Source: ESPN Soccernet on 5 Mar 11

Misfiring Arsenal draw blank against resilient Sunderland

The case of red is winging its way from Old Trafford to Steve Bruce. One of Manchester United's favourite sons watched his Sunderland team put a dent in Arsenal's title challenge with a performance of resilience and no little fortune.

Make no mistake, Arsenal, despite a poor start and a general lack of sharpness in the final third, deserved to win here to apply the pressure on United, the league leaders, ahead of their trip to Liverpool. Arsène Wenger had demanded a victory to maintain his team's pursuit of the championship, which he admitted had become an "obsession" and any thoughts of the Champions League tie against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Tuesday were firmly on hold.

Yet the goal simply would not come for them. Arsenal created chances to score but Sunderland, for whom the goalkeeper Simon Mignolet distinguished himself and Titus Bramble was a titan in central defence, held firm. Wenger simmered with fury and frustration at full-time and his anger was directed at the officials, whose decisions he felt had denied his team on two occasions.

Replays showed that Andrey Arshavin was onside in the 87th minute when he raced on to Nicklas Bendtner's throughball to finish – the assistant referee Andy Garratt raised his flag – while, moments earlier, having outstripped Bramble, Arshavin seemed to be pushed inside the area as he sliced his shot wide.

Bruce said a penalty award would have been "harsh", arguing that Arshavin had got his effort away before the contact from Bramble, but he could afford to joke about the offside call. "It was a fantastic decision by the linesman," he said. Wenger was typically waspish. "My job is to deliver games; the referee's job is to make the right decisions," he said. "It is frustrating that the two decisions went against us. They punished us severely, especially the offside that wasn't." In a different post-match interview, Wenger said that he was "too disgusted to speak about it". He added: "These things can have an impact on the league. Justice has not been done and it's not the first time."

Sunderland did not look like a team on a run of four straight defeats but it is sometimes wise to expect the unexpected from them. Awful at Everton the previous weekend, they gave Bruce the response he wanted. Even Wenger praised them for "the quality of their defending". Further forward, the winger Stéphane Sessègnon, who drew a smart first-half save out of Wojciech Szczesny, caught the eye.

There was a disjointed feel to Arsenal from the outset, which the home supporters were not slow to pick up on. As ever, the fans ran the gamut of emotions; for the neutral it was pulsating theatre. Wenger's team stepped it up before half-time, with Jack Wilshere, who played in the advanced central midfield role, and Samir Nasri to the fore. The Frenchman was a joy to watch. Bendtner was denied twice by Mignolet before the interval.

There was a fractious undercurrent. Arsenal complained about a few challenges – Bruce argued back with the fans behind the dugout – while Johan Djourou caught an accidental elbow in the face from Sulley Muntari. Wilshere took a couple of heavy challenges and Wenger reported that he had suffered an ankle injury, which would need to respond to treatment before Barcelona.

Anxiety, though, was the order of the day. As the minutes ticked by, so the nerves became raw. The home crowd applauded the substitution of the ineffective Denílson. Those in red dared not err. Wilshere and Nasri were booked for dissent. Arsenal dominated the second half and, as Sunderland clung on to what they had, the script felt familiar. With passions running high Wenger's team turned up the heat in pursuit of the decisive goal, but this time there was no breakthrough.

Arshavin shot too close to Mignolet when well placed; Nasri drew a fine save out of the goalkeeper from a free-kick; and Marouane Chamakh, the substitute, thumped a header against the crossbar. There were the two contentious incidents involving Arshavin and, at the very death, Bendtner fluffed a close-range header to send Wenger into meltdown on the touchline.

If the goal would not go in for Arsenal, it almost did in the 84th minute for Danny Welbeck, on loan from United, who Bruce sent on as a substitute. On his first appearance since a serious injury in early January, he controlled brilliantly and shot only to be denied superbly by Szczesny.

Now that would have been a story. As it was, Welbeck's permanent employers could be happy enough.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 5 Mar 11

Wenger's reaction to the Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland match

On his team’s performance…
I’m very happy with the performance. I feel defensively we were very good, we gave a lot physically [but] we lacked a bit [of] creativity. Overall, we didn’t manage to score. What is frustrating [is] that we have given everything in the end but we lacked a little but of sharpness in the final third. We had two decisions go against us today that punished us severely, especially the offside [against Andrey Arshavin]. To win this game 1-0 today was important.

On the offside decision against Andrey Arshavin…
What can you do? If you say to me it was offside, the only thing I can say is that if he is not offside.

On missing the chance to close the gap on Manchester United…
It’s a disappointment, yes. Today was the kind of game you want to win 1-0. We do not want to have things going against you, it happened. What we have to do now is focus on Tuesday night. We played our 46th game since the start of the season. I cannot fault the players' attitude. It’s true that we had problems to find our fluency today [and] I put it down to the quality of their defending, they marked us man-to-man and it was difficult. We missed some offensive players who [could] have an impact.

I think we have now played 11 games - eight wins, three draws - so we are quite consistent with our results. Today’s result comes at a bad moment, I agree with you. Is it because psychologically that is such an impact on the championship? I don’t think so. I feel we lacked a little bit of sharpness and technical quality in the final third.

On whether Arshavin should have gone down from Bramble’s challenge….
If he had gone down, you would have said he had dived. You cannot say on one side that the players do not have to dive and then if they do not go down, ‘why did you not go down?’. I think he did right to stay up, but you do not need to know that Bramble is beaten. I do not need to be a specialist to know that Bramble is beaten at the moment he comes back.

On Szczesny and Koscielny’s first performance after the Carling Cup Final…
They had a good performance. Defensively we were strong and good.

On Theo Walcott or the other injured players having any chance of playing at Barcelona…
No [on Walcott]. No Van Persie. Fabregas has a chance.

On the condition of Jack Wilshere after the game…
He has an ankle problem but we will see how he responds to treatment tomorrow. He’ll be out of training maybe one or two days. Monday [he will] maybe be back. We’ll see.

Source: Arsenal.com on 5 Mar 11

5 March 2011: Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland, The Emirates

Arsenal missed an opportunity to put real pressure Manchester United when they could only grind out a frustrating goalless draw with Sunderland at Emirates Stadium.

This result actually inches Arsène Wenger’s side three points behind Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. But the hope this afternoon had been to be breathing down the neck of the Old Trafford outfit before they travel to rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

Sunderland started the better but Arsenal dominated the final three-quarters of a tough, tight encounter. Substitute Marouane Chamakh came closest when he thundered a header against the bar in the 75th minute.

But visiting keeper Simon Mignolet saved well from Samir Nasri’s second-half free-kick. Meanwhile Andrey Arshavin might have been awarded a penalty and ‘scored’ after being controversially flagged offside.

Sunderland went close through Danny Wellbeck and Jordan Henderson. But their game-plan this afternoon was to hassle and harry Arsenal out of their stride while keeping matters miserly at the back.

It was frustrating fare but it did the job. Arsenal lacked a certain cutting edge this afternoon but their endeavour cannot be questioned.

This is a bump on the road to the Premier League title but hardly a breakdown. Manchester United’s response will be critical and Wenger’s men can ill-afford to dwell on what might have been.

They must simply dust themselves down and carry on.

Wenger made eight changes from the thumping 5-0 win over Leyton Orient in midweek. The FA Cup tie had started the process of recovery after that horrible Carling Cup defeat the previous weekend. But any other treatment would have to be running repairs.

This was the first of three massive games in three competitions over the course of the next eight days and the manager had been crystal clear in belief that this one was the most important.

In terms of the team, only Abou Diaby, Denilson and Nicklas Bendtner remained from the Orient game. Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Jack Wilshere, Johan Djourou, Arshavin and Gael Clichy all returned. Laurent Koscielny was passed fit after a hamstring injury. Nasri was captain.

Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) and Alex Song (knee) were out today but remain hopeful for Barcelona. Robin van Persie (knee) and Theo Walcott (ankle) will be missing for a few weeks more.

However, perhaps the biggest news was the return of Aaron Ramsey. The Welshman had been on the bench in January but, since then, he had enjoyed a fruitful loan spell at Cardiff.

Arsenal came into this game trying to the close the gap at the top. Meanwhile Sunderland were trying to arrest a run of four straight defeats.

But it was the visitors who started the better.

In the second minute, Henderson’s low right-wing cross was nearly converted by Steed Malbranque at the near post. Shortly afterwards a Sunderland corner was half-cleared to Phil Bardsley, who rifled a shot wide.

After 10 minutes, Arsenal finally woke up. Clichy curled a low cross inches beyond the outstretched leg of Bendtner. Nasri collected the rebound and fired into the chest of Mignolet.

But Sunderland were still playing with a confidence that belied their recent results. Stephane Sessegnon’s drive forced a flying save from Szczesny and then Malbranque was denied by Djourou at the near post.

However, as the game wore on, Arsenal gradually gained control. Just before the half-hour, Arshavin raced onto a lofted through-ball from Wilshere but a combination of Titus Bramble and Mignolet cleared up the danger.

Ten minutes from half-time, Nasri weaved his way to the byline but, when he tried to cut back the ball, Bardlsey blocked at the near post. When the corner came over, Djourou’s flick fell nicely for Bendtner but his point-blank bicycle kick was straight at Mignolet.

Arsenal were starting to come on strong now. In the 40th minute, Wilshere chipped Bendtner into space on the right. The Dane fired a dipping volley inches over the bar from an acute angle.

It had been a frustrating half but at least the home side had ended it in the ascendancy.

After the restart, they tried to impose themselves in the same way but Sunderland had their sleeves rolled up this afternoon.

The first 15 minutes was a scrappy affair with few chances but decent pressure from both sides.

Unsurprisingly, Wenger decided to make changes. Chamakh replaced Denilson and went up front. Bendtner dropped wide and Nasri came into central midfield.

The Moroccan was immediately involved. He escaped down the right and cut the ball back from Arshavin, who shot was beaten away by Mignolet.

Time was ticking on and Arsenal needed a goal. In the 72nd minute, Sessegnon’s foul on Koscielny gave them an opportunity just outside the area. Nasri’s free-kick was beaten away by the Sunderland stopper.

Three minutes later, they would come even closer. Wilshere drifted a ball to the far post and Chamakh crashed a header against the bar.

Back-to-back opportunities injected a momentum into Arsenal’s game. The crowd now sensed this was the moment. Just before Tomas Rosicky replaced Diaby, Sagna fired over at the far post.

As we entered the final 10 minutes, Arsenal had a massive chance. Arshavin raced through in the left-hand channel with Bramble in pursuit. The Englishman was tangling with the Russian all the way and, as he stumbled, pushed the Arsenal striker who shanked his shot wide.

It could have been a goal, it could have been a penalty. In the end it was neither.

Sunderland’s attacking had been limited in the second half but they would fashion two quick efforts. Substitute Wellbeck swiveled and sent a sharp shot towards the far post. Szczesny pushed it wide. From the corner, the keeper used his chest to block a shot from Henderson.

When the final whistle went, Arsenal were deflated, Sunderland delighted.

That tells the story of the game.

This was a deeply disappointing draw but this Premier League story will have a few more plot-twists before May.

Source: Richard Clarke, Arsenal.com on 5 Mar 11